Honors Program

The Honors Program was founded at NOVA in 1985. Its purpose is to provide motivated students with an enriched program of study.

The Honors Program emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Honors students are encouraged to think independently and to challenge ideas as they study with highly motivated peers and engage in provocative discussions that foster a spirit of camaraderie.

Honors Program Benefits

There are many benefits for completing the Honors Program at NOVA. For some students, it is a self-guided exploration of new material facilitated by an experienced guide. For others, the appeal lies in the small class size and seminar-style discussions. The out-of-class enrichment experiences offer a distinctive bonus that all can enjoy.

Benefits Include:

Smaller classes

Stimulating professors and peers

Student-led discussions

Seminar-style classrooms

Community of learners

Multi-disciplinary approaches

Interaction with nationally-known experts in the field

Field trips

College-wide events and campus-wide leadership recognition

Internships

Honors Club

Special honors scholarships

Competitive edge applying to four-year institutions and in university courses

Future transfer agreements

An honors transcript identifier

A gold seal on your diploma designating completion of the Honors Core Curriculum

An Honors Certificate of Completion for 18 hours of honors credit

Recognition at commencement

Letters of recommendation from honors faculty

Smaller classes

Stimulating professors and peers

Student-led discussions

Seminar-style classrooms

Community of learners

Multi-disciplinary approaches

Interaction with nationally-known experts in the field

Field trips

College-wide events and campus-wide leadership recognition

Internships

Honors Club

Special honors scholarships

Competitive edge applying to four-year institutions and in university courses

Future transfer agreements

An honors transcript identifier

A gold seal on your diploma designating completion of the Honors Core Curriculum

An Honors Certificate of Completion for 18 hours of honors credit

Recognition at commencement

Letters of recommendation from honors faculty

Who Is Eligible

To be eligible to take an Honors course, you must have completed all prerequisites for that course and meet ONE of the criteria listed below.

Place into Honors ENG 111/112/125 or Honors MTH 151 via NOVA placement tests (confers automatic eligibility for these courses; all other courses will also require a recommendation) OR

Document a combined score of at least 1200 out of 1600 on the SAT Critical Reading and Math sections or at least 1800 out of 2400 with a score of at least 600 on each section OR

Document a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 at the last academic institution attended (high school, college or university) OR

Present recommendations from two high school teachers (if currently a high school student) or from two college teaching faculty or counselors based on any course taken at a college or university.

If you do not meet any of the above requirements, you may be given permission to take an Honors course based on a recommendation by the Honors Chair, Honors Counselor, or instructor teaching the requested Honors course(s). This recommendation may indicate your life experience, special aptitude, or interest that indicates potential for success in this course(s).

Honors Courses

Honors Courses are designed to provide motivated students with an enriched program of study beyond the standard college course. Smaller classes allow students the opportunity for a deeper exploration of topics and to work with professors more closely. Honors Courses include rigorous academics, enrichment activities, opportunities for leadership, and in-depth research.

Students eligible to take Honors Courses or Honors Option Courses may take an Honors Course without being admitted to the Honors Program.